During most transport steps in commercial container filling or packaging operations, the container is closed and rests upon a moving conveyor belt or chain. One exception is the transfer plate where open containers are moved from where they are filled to where they are closed over a stationary plate. This transfer plate is challenging because the containers are open and prone to spilling their contents. If they spill too much, they will be rejected upon inspection. Further, if the package is not aligned properly going into the closer, the closure could be poor or the entire machine could jam. These concerns are complicated by the fact that the open containers move very quickly. It is against this background that the present disclosure has been made.